GOVERNMENT REGIONAL OFFICERS HOUSING. Emergency and Priority Maintenance Policy. October 2009

Transcription

1 GOVERNMENT REGIONAL OFFICERS HOUSING Emergency and Priority Maintenance Policy October 2009

2 Policy Number of the Department of Housing of Western Australia Reproduction of this work in whole or part within the Department and on condition that it not be offered for sale, is permitted by the Department of Housing of Western Australia. Further information please contact: Title : Government Regional Officers Housing Coordinator Policy and Projects Address : Department of Housing 99 Plain Street EAST PERTH WA 6004 Telephone Facsimile Danielle.Faulkner@housing.wa.gov.au Web Site 2

3 TABLE OF CONTENTS 1. INTRODUCTION OVERVIEW PURPOSE OF THIS DOCUMENT SCOPE RELEVANT LEGISLATION AND REFERENCES DOCUMENT CONTROL DOCUMENT REVIEW FULL DOCUMENT HISTORY DEFINITION OF TERMS (GLOSSARY) EMERGENCY MAINTENANCE EMERGENCY MAINTENANCE CRITERIA HOT WATER PRIORITY MAINTENANCE

4 1. INTRODUCTION 1.1 OVERVIEW The Government Regional Officers Housing employs an answering service to attend to after hours maintenance emergencies and these are the guidelines under which work will be undertaken. 1.2 PURPOSE OF THIS DOCUMENT This document is written with the aim of providing clear policies and procedures for Department of Housing officers to ensure effective management and consistent implementation of the Emergency and Priority Maintenance policy. 1.3 SCOPE This document is written for Department of Housing officers, GROH Client Agencies and tenants. 1.4 RELEVANT LEGISLATION AND REFERENCES Government Employees Housing Act 1964 Residential Tenancies Act 1987 Customer Service Charter 1.5 DOCUMENT CONTROL This document is published on the GROH Internet site at - GROH Policies The original version of the document for the purposes of amendments and updates is held by GROH and is stored on the Department of Housing Corporate Data System in the Business Services Section of GROH under CURRENT POLICIES. 4

5 Responsibility for the document lies with the Director, Government Regional Officers Housing. 1.6 DOCUMENT REVIEW This document may be amended from time to time (see 1.7 Document History). 1.7 FULL DOCUMENT HISTORY ISSUE DATE REASON POLICY AUTHOR OFFICERS TITLE DATE LOADED ON Internet 1 September 2001 Policy Reformatted Andrew Smith Policy and Projects Officer 2 May 2002 Policy reformatted to reflect change in the Department of Housing and Works Lisbet Schäfers Policy and Projects Officer 3 August 2006 Policy amended to reflect the change to the Government Employees Housing Authority by the Machinery of Government (Miscellaneous Amendments) Act December 2006 Policy amended to reprioritise failure of air conditioning thermostat or compressor from Priority to Emergency Maintenance P1 Category (Point 3,8) 5 April 2008 Air Conditioners Compressor or thermostat failure Status downgraded from emergency to priority Category 3.8 deleted; see new Category 5.8 Lisbet Schäfers Lisbet Schäfers Gloria Randle Projects and Policy Officer Projects and Policy Officer Projects and Policy Officer November 2006 Sent to be uploaded October 2009 Policy Reformatted Danielle Faulkner Coordinator Policy and Projects October DEFINITION OF TERMS (Glossary) TERM / ACRONYM MEANING Client Agency A Government agency proclaimed as a GROH client agency under s.7 of the Government Employees Housing Act GROH Government Regional Officers Housing 5

6 2. EMERGENCY MAINTENANCE POLICY : GROH or GROH s Agent will attend to emergency maintenance problems during and after normal working hours, within three hours, if they conform to specific criteria, or on medical grounds. GROH will not reimburse tenants for payments made to contractors to undertake work authorised by the tenant. 2.1 See 3.1 to 3.10 for description of maintenance problems regarded as an emergency. 2.2 A tenant will be charged with a call out fee if he/she does not remain at home until the contractor arrives, or does not arrange for immediate access. The contractor must arrive within three hours. 2.3 After Hours Emergency Maintenance Notwithstanding Department of Housing business hours are 8:00am to 5:00pm, Monday to Friday, after hours is defined as outside Zone Maintenance Contractors business hours of 7:30am to 4:00pm Monday to Friday. 2.4 Tenants making after hours maintenance enquiries are to be advised that the minimum call out charge is $ (2005 costs metropolitan area), plus the cost of materials (2005 costs), should the work not conform to the criteria for after hours maintenance. They may prefer to delay the repairs until normal working hours resume. 6

7 3. EMERGENCY MAINTENANCE CRITERIA POLICY : The criteria for referring emergency or after hours emergency service to Contractors is as shown. 3.1 Electrical No power (completely) immediately. Electric shocks, sparks etc immediately. Stove completely out of action immediately. No light (completely) immediately on Friday, Saturday and Sunday nights of a long weekend. (Not applicable to security lighting.) The tenant is to be informed that should a faulty appliance or a non-connection by Synergy/Horizon [Western Power] cause any fault, the costs of the service will be charged to the tenant. Where the tenant reports a problem of no lights and power, they should be advised to first check that the problem is not due to omitting to reset circuit breaker switches (where installed) or a Western Power fault or grid failure. 3.2 Gas Gas Leaks immediately. (Gas bottles/gas, where applicable, to be turned off.) Stove completely out of action immediately. Where the gas leak occurs in the line between the road and the gas meter inside the box, this is the responsibility of Alinta Gas and they must be contacted for repairs. All other gas repairs are the responsibility of GROH or GROH s Agent. 7

8 POLICY : 3.3 Plumbing Burst Water Pipes immediately If the emergency call occurs on the day prior to the next working day, then the work can wait and be carried out the following morning, providing the main can be turned off. If the main cannot be turned off immediate action is required. 3.4 Blocked Drains Flat complexes and town houses only. Plumber to be called any time for these items. Single detached and duplex housing. To receive attention when reported up to noon on the day prior to the next working day. Should the blockage be tenant caused (eg: toys, sanitary napkins, etc), tenant liability will be charged. 3.5 Toilet Pan (only when completely blocked) All dwelling types. Plumber to be called any time for this item. 3.6 Septic Tanks/Soak Wells (only) where overflowing and causing a health hazard, immediate attention. 8

9 POLICY : Flat complexes and town houses only. Plumber to be called any time for these items. Single detached and duplex housing. To receive attention up to noon on the day prior to the next working day. 3.7 Waste Pipe Blockages (eg: from sink, bath, basin through to ground) Flat complexes or town housing only. Any time. Single detached, duplex or town housing. Not applicable. When an after hours call is received to attend a drain blockage and a pump-out appears necessary, the Plumbing Contractor should attempt to temporarily relieve the problem until a pump-out can be arranged during normal working hours. If it is clearly evident that nothing can be done of a temporary nature, the pump-out operator for the area should be contacted direct by the contractor and requested to attend as an urgent call. 9

10 4. HOT WATER POLICY : A malfunctioning hot water system is not regarded as after hours emergency maintenance. 4.1 Monday and up until 3:00 pm Saturday the problem will be attended to within 24 hours. 4.2 Calls received Saturday after 3:00pm or on Sunday or public holidays: Work will be carried out on the next working day after the break. The Job Order will be issued as an emergency in these circumstances. 5. PRIORITY MAINTENANCE POLICY : GROH or GROH s Agent will attend to priority maintenance problems during normal working hours within 48 hours, if they conform to specific criteria or on medical grounds. 5.1 Plumbing Blocked waste pipe (not drains) Soak wells collapsed, ground subsiding, new lids Tap washers running only, not dripping Roof leaks during wet season only Cracked or broken ped pan 5.2 Gas Hot water units no hot water (repair) and installation Stoves where two or more parts are not working Fault to regulator or pig tails (LPG) Room heaters only at discretion of manager. 10

11 POLICY : 5.3 Electrical Security/common lighting Hot water units no hot water (repair) and installation Stoves where two or more parts are not working Room heaters only at discretion of manager. 5.4 Carpentry Faulty door locks external only (for security) Roof leaks during wet season only Broken window catches (wooden windows only). Broken or faulty window frames where the window cannot be secured. 5.5 Glazing Any broken (not cracked) glass not covered by Emergency. 5.6 Pest Control Bees and wasps Singapore ants (request slip and physical inspection first). 5.7 Tree Lopping Any dangerous situation posing immediate threat to person or property (request slip and inspection first). 5.8 Air Conditioners Compressor or thermostat failure. 5.9 Refrigerators and Freezers Compressor or thermostat failure. 11

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